Lamp construction

ABSTRACT

A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top wall, side walls, and end walls, the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion provides a different colored light emitted to a viewer. A wall of transparent plastic material extends between the side walls from the top wall and defines two chambers within the housing into which the light sources are adapted to project. The surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly so that the light from one light source will not affect the light transmitting portion of the housing adjacent the other light source.

[ Mar. 19, 1974 LAMP CONSTRUCTION Peter E. Brudy, Willowdale, Ontario, Canada [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Dominion Auto Accessories Limited,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: Apr. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 348,116

[52] U.S. Cl 240/106 R, 240/7.1 C, 240/7.1 F,

240/8.3, 240/103 R, 240/106.1 [51] Int. Cl. F21v 5/00, B60q 1/30 [58] Field of Search 240/7.1 R, 7.1 C, 7.1 F, 240/8.3, 8.41, 93, 103 R, 106 R, 106.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES'PATENTS 1,617,423 2/1927 Seitz 240/7.1 F 3.654.455 4/1972 Siegel 240/.l06 R Primary Egcaminerlo sephF. Peters, Jr.

Assistant Examinen-Russell E. Adams, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Barnes, Kisselle, Raisch &

Choate a Y [57] ABSTRACT A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top wall, side walls, and end walls, the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion provides a different colored light emitted to a viewer. A wall of transparent plastic material extends between the side walls from the top wall and defines two chambers within the housing into which the light sources are adapted to project. The surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly so that the light from one light source will not affect the light transmitting portion of the housing adjacent the other light source.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures LAMP CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to lamp construction for automotive vehicles and particularly to lamp construction for the rear of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In automotive vehicles, it is common to provide a single lamp which combines a stop and taillight with a backup light. The stop or taillight is usually provided by positioning a lamp bulb behind a colored portion of a lamp lens and another lamp bulb beneath a clear portion of the lamp lens. One of the problems with respect to such lamp construction is that there is a tendency for the light from the bulb behind the colored portion to illuminate the clear portion or vice-versa. Similarly, when a reflex portion is provided in the lamp lens housing, there is a tendency for the light from the bulbs to produce a false reflection or appearance to the reflex portion.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a lamp lens housing construction which obviates the aforementioned stray light; which achieves this objective with a minimum of cost; which can be made easily and is effective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the lamp lens housing embodying the invention is made of transparent plastic material and comprises a top wall, side walls, and end walls, the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion provides a different colored light emitted to a viewer. A wall extends between the side walls from the top wall and is made of transparent plastic material. The wall defines two chambers within said housing into which the light sources are adapted to project. The surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly so that the light from one light source will not affect the light transmitting portion of the housing adjacent the other light source.

DESCRIPTION OFTl-IE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lamp lens housing embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary'sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of lamp structure embodying the invention.

DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, lamp lens housing embodying the invention is made of a transparent plastic material of predetermined light transmitting characteristics, for example, red and comprises a top wall 1 1, side walls 12, and end walls 13. The top wall 11 includes an integral central portion that is made in the form of a lens, a clear plastic portion 15 that is molded or otherwise placed in an opening in the top wall 11 of the housing 10 and a reflex portion 16 that is similarly molded or placed in an opening in the top wall 11.

Lamp bulbs and an associated structure, represented by the broken lines 17, 18 in the FIG. 1, are adapted to be positioned inside the housing to illuminate either the colored plastic portion 14 providing a stop or taillight signal or the clear portion 15 providing a backup signal for the vehicle.

In accordance with the invention, an integral intermediate wall 19 is molded in situ in the housing 10 and extends from the top wall ll 1 and between the side walls 12 to define two chambers into which the bulbs 17, 18 extend. The intermediate wall 19 is formed with angularly related surfaces that define prisms 20 (FIG. 2) on the outersurfaces thereof which extend longitudinally toward the top wall parallel to the side walls 12. The prisms 20 have a configuration such as to reflect light from the sources 17, 18 back toward the sources and, as shown, have an included angle of The apices of the prisms 20 are staggered on the opposite surfaces so that the apices 21 of the prisms on one surface are aligned with the space or groove 22 between the prisms on the'opposite surface.

Similarly, a second integral wall 23 having prisms thereon in the same manner as wall 19 is provided between the reflex portion 16 and colored portion 14 to separate the chamber in which the bulb 18 is positioned from the space behind reflex portion 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing l0 is adapted to be mounted on a base 25 which supports the bulbs 17, 18 in the chambers by the walls 19, 23.

In use the prisms 20 on the walls 19, 23 function to return the light from the bulbs l7, 18 back to the bulbs so that the light behind one portion of the top wall 11 will not affect the adjacent portions.

I claim:

1. A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top' wall, side walls, and end walls the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion emits adifferent colored light to a viewer,

a wall extending between the'side walls from the top wall,

said wall being made of transparent plastic material,

said wall defining two chambers within said housing into which the light sources are adapted to project,

the surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said prisms extend longitudinally toward'the top wall.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said prisms have a 90 cross section.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the apices of said prisms are aligned with the reverse apices between said prisms. I

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall is molded in situ in said housing.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall includes a reflex portion,

a second intermediate wall separating the reflex portion from the remainder of the housing and extending from the top wall and between the side walls,

said second intermediate wall being made of transparent material and having angularly related surfaces on the outer surfaces thereof defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them.

7. A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top wall, side walls, and end walls,

the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion emits a different colored light to a viewer,

an integral wall molded in situ extending between the side walls from the top wall,

said wall being made of transparent plastic material,

said wall defining two chambers within said housing into which the light sources are adapted to project,

the surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly,

said prisms extend longitudinally toward the top wall.

said second intermediate wall being made of transparent material and having angularly related surfaces on the outer surfaces thereof defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them. 

1. A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top wall, side walls, and end walls, the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion emits a different colored light to a viewer, a wall extending between the side walls from the top wall, said wall being made of transparent plastic material, said wall defining two chambers within said housing into which the light sources are adapted to project, the surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said prisms extend longitudinally toward the top wall.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said prisms have a 90* cross section.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the apices of said prisms are aligned with the reverse apices between said prisms.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall is molded in situ in said housing.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall includes a reflex portion, a second intermediate wall separating the reflex portion from the remainder of the housing and extending from the top wall and between the side walls, said second intermediate wall being made of transparent material and having angularly related surfaces on the outer surfaces thereof defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them.
 7. A lamp lens housing made of transparent plastic material and comprising a top wall, side walls, and end walls, the top wall having portions of varying light transmitting characteristics such that a light source mounted within the housing adjacent each portion emits a different colored light to a viewer, an integral wall molded in situ extending between the side walls from the top wall, said wall being made of transparent plastic material, said wall defining two chambers within said housing into which the light sources are adapted tO project, the surfaces of said wall having angularly related portions defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them back outwardly, said prisms extend longitudinally toward the top wall.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said prisms have a 90* cross section.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the apices of said prisms are aligned with the reverse apices between said prisms.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said top wall includes a reflex portion, a second intermediate wall separating the reflex portion from the remainder of the housing and extending from the top wall and between the side walls, said second intermediate wall being made of transparent material and having angularly related surfaces on the outer surfaces thereof defining prisms which function to reflect light striking them. 